Best Way to Defeat the Islamic State in Syria: Remove Assad

Defense ministers and analysts are grasping at straws on how to eliminate Islamic State extremists and stabilize the Middle East. Removing Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad could be a solution. The United States and coalition partners invaded Iraq and removed Saddam Hussein from power; 12 years later, the country is in chaos, threatened by brutal extremists, with violence and desperate refugees spreading to nearby countries. Assad is a dictator who has attacked Syrians, yet analysts worry his replacement could be worse. With Assad struggling to defend Damascus, G7 leaders are considering a deal with Russia and Iran, supporters of Assad, to send he struggling dictator into exile, and Con Coughlin writes for the Telegraph: “If Assad’s fate really does hang in the balance, then it is very much in the interests of Russia and Iran to reach an understanding with the West, whereby Assad’s removal is managed in such a way that prevents the capital being overrun by Islamist militants.” As demonstrated in Iraq, the West’s preferences offer no guarantees on who will lead Syria. – YaleGlobal